Work gloves with marking indicia

ABSTRACT

A portable work station is convertible between a collapsed condition suitable for storage and transport and an expanded condition suitable for use as a work bench. The work station includes a central panel serving as a work table or bench positionable in generally horizontal plane when the work station is expanded. The central panel defines two opposing generally parallel ends. Legs at one of the parallel ends are movable between collapsed conditions within the collapsed work station and generally vertical positions when the work station is expanded for use as a work bench or table. A storage device is provided at the other end of the parallel ends movable between a collapsed condition substantially in parallel planes with the work table or bench and an extended condition substantially normal to the work table or bench. The storage device includes storage compartments or bins for storing tools, hardware or the like in the expanded condition of the work station. Rolling members on the storage device transport the work station in its collapsed condition by rolling it along a generally horizontal surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to work gloves and, morespecifically, to work gloves with marking indicia.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Work gloves have been extensively used in various trades, including theconstruction industry, where workers must physically lift and handlevarious items including items that may be abrasive, sharp, extremely hotor cold, etc. Work gloves have been designed to protect the hands ofworkers in all trades and do-it-yourselfers, where injury can resulteven while performing small projects. In order to address the wide rangeof potential injuries gloves have been designed to meet specializedneeds. Where high temperatures are involved the gloves are provided withinsulating materials to eliminate or reduce the flow of heat. Whereelectricity is involved, the gloves are designed to provide electricalinsulation to minimize the flow of electrical currents. However, thegloves that have been used in the past have been designed with thelimited function of protecting the user. Frequently, workers using suchgloves, especially the construction trades, need to make roughmeasurements to estimate the dimensions of various building materialssuch as 2×4s, the diameters of pipes, the spacing between two adjacentmembers and the like. To do this, workers typically carry some form ofscale, such as a metal tape measure. However, the worker is required tocontinually reach for the marking device, make a measurement and returnthe marking device to the tool belt, tool bag or the like. This is notonly time-consuming but inconvenient and tedious.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide work glovesthat bear marking indicia for making rough measurements without the needof ancillary tape measures or other measuring devices.

It is another object of the invention to provide work gloves as in theprevious object which are simple in construction and economical tomanufacture.

It is still another object of the invention to provide work gloves ofthe type under discussion exhibiting manufacturing costs that aresubstantially the same as manufacturing conventional work gloves.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide work gloves as inthe last object which are easy and convenient to use and can providegenerally accurate markings sufficient for many applications in thefield.

It is a further object of the invention to provide work gloves thatprotect the hands of the user that can additionally be used to provideat least rough linear measurements, diameters of pipes and other smalldimensions and spaces between objects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparentwhen it is considered in detail in the below specification, taken withthe drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of work gloves in accordance with the presentinvention, showing three different marking indicia.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing a photographic rendering of thework gloves shown FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the work gloves shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a worker wearing the work glovesaccording to the invention, illustrating measurements being made usingan elongate marking scale or indicia on the gloves while holding thework in the form of a piece of lumber.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a photographic rendering ofthe manner of use of the gloves.

FIG. 6 illustrates a measuring technique in which one of the markingindicia on the gloves is used to measure a diameter of a pipe being heldwith the other glove.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, in which the identicalis similar parts are designated by the same reference numeralsthroughout, and first referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a work glove inaccordance with the invention is generally designated by the referencenumeral 10.

The glove 10 includes a main body part 12 dimensioned, as withconventional gloves, to receive the hands of the user. Integrally formedwith the main body part 12 are elongate finger-receiving portions 13-17to receive the fingers. The portion 13 is for receiving the thumb andthe portion 14 for receiving the pointing finger. The portion 17receives the user's pinky finger.

An important feature the invention is the provision of at least one butpreferably a plurality of marking indicia for facilitating making atleast rough measurements by a worker in the field. The specific natureof the marking indicia and positions the specific positions where withthese are provided is not critical for purposes of the presentinvention. However, and by way of example only, the glove 10 of thepresently preferred embodiment includes a scale 18 along the outer edgeof the pointing finger portion 14 facing the thumb receiving portion 13.The scale 18 includes markers at 20 the specifics of which are a matterof design choice. In the embodiment illustrated, the scale 20 is an inchscale, although metric or other scales can clearly also be used.Similarly, an additional scale 22 is provided along the outer edge ofthe pinky receiving portion 17 and continuing along the main bodyportion 12. The scale 22 may be provided with indicia markers 23, 24that can be the same as for the scale 18 or may differ from that scale.A smaller or shorter scale 26 is shown provided along the inner edge ofthe thumb-receiving portion 13, facing the portion 14, which is providedwith indicia markers 28. Again, these may be the same or differ from thescales or markers used with the scales or rulers 18, 22.

Aside from the use of the rulers or scales 18, 22 and 26, the workgloves 10 may incorporate many of the same features of functions used inconventional work gloves to accommodate the specific needs of a workeron any specific project. The glove may, therefore, be specificallydesigned to protect the user from extreme temperatures by providingsuitable insulations. The tips 30 at the ends of the finger receivingportions 13-17 may be provided with temperature insulating materialsand/or electrical insulating materials. Additional pads 32 may beprovided to protect the knuckles. A similar protective layer 34 may beprovided for protecting the back of the user's hand and similar stripsor layers of materials 42, 44 may be provided to protect the user'shand.

A conventional strap 36 of the work glove may be provided with hook andloop fastener materials 38, 40 to allow the glove to be securelyattached to the worker's hands. As indicated, the specific constructionof the glove will be designed to make the glove especially fit for aparticular job or type of work, and these constructional features do notform part of the invention.

The gloves of the invention includes at least one or more rulers orscales arranged along exposed edges or regions of the glove so the ruleror scale can be used to make at least rough measurements in the field oron the job. It will be appreciated that in certain applications a workerneeds to make at least rough measurements. For example, carpenters needto repetitively cut small sections of wood, framers who need to cut 2×4sin the field or plumbers who need to cut small sections of pipe. Priorto this invention, these workers needed to interrupt their work bygrasping a ruler or tape measure, making the measurement and continuingwith a cutting operation. An advantage of the present invention is thatsuch workers need no longer interrupt their work to make suchmeasurements. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, for example, there isillustrated a measurement on a 2×4, in which a small piece of the widthneeds to be removed. Instead of reaching for a ruler with tape measure,the worker simply places his flattened hands of the wood 46, so that theend marker 23 of the rule 22 is substantially aligned with the edge 48of the wood 46. A worker can, now a, using a marking pencil 50, make amarking 52 on the wood. In FIG. 6, a worker is shown measuring theapproximate diameter 56 of a pipe 54 by positioning the rule 18 acrossthe end of the pipe.

The invention contemplates the use of at least one ruler or scale on awork glove. As suggested, however, more than one scale may be used anddifferent markers or indicia may also be used. The specific positionsare not critical as long as they enable a worker to make desiredmeasurements.

While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it willbe understood that the there is no intention to limit the invention bysuch disclosure, but rather, it is the intention to cover allmodifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

1. Work gloves comprising a main body part for receiving the hand of auser; at least one finger receiving portion for receiving an associatedfinger of the user, said at least one finger receiving portion definingat least one substantially linear edge; and indicia along said at leastone linear edge, said indicia being in the form of a linear measurementscale, whereby said linear measurement scale can be aligned along a workfor marking off dimensions on the work by using said measurement scalewithout removing the glove from the hand.
 2. Work gloves as defined inclaim 1, wherein a plurality of finger receiving portions are providedextending from said main body part, and indicia being provided alonglinear edges of at least two finger receiving portions.
 3. Work glovesas defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one substantially linearedge extends along a finger receiving portion and along an edge of saidmain body part.
 4. Work gloves as defined in claim 1, wherein saidmeasurement scale is arranged along an exterior side of the pinkyfinger.
 5. Work gloves as defined in claim 1, wherein said measurementscale is arranged along the pointing or index finger.
 6. Work gloves asdefined in claim 1, wherein said measurement scale is arranged along thethumb.